September 13, 1865. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



219 



STATICE HOLVOllDII MANAG1:MKNT. 



As this is a most beautiful pot plant I think it ought to ho 

 more Kencvally cultivated. I have Ri-own it for four years, and 

 tind it answer admirably for conservatory decoration. 



To [iroiiai^ate it, take off yonn^' shoots in April and insert 

 them in thumb pots, tilling the pots, after juitting in plenty of 

 drainage, with sandy loam, with a little silver sand on the sur- 

 face. Let the heel of the cuttings be in the sand. Plunge the 

 pot.s in a bottom heat of UO', watering very sparingly, and iu 

 the course of three weeks they will have liUed the pots with 

 tine white roots and be ready for a shift. 



They may he now put into a comjiost formed of rich yellow 

 loam mixed with a small quantity of silver sand and charcoal, 

 uud a little leaf mould free from any sticks. I'ot them firmly 

 in this compost in six-iuch pots, and do not water freely until 

 they are well established in the fresh soil. After this they will 

 roipure a liberal supply of water, placing them in a heat of 

 70', keeping a moist atmosphere. In the cimrseof two months 

 they will be pot-bound, and should have a shift into a ten-inch 

 pot and be placed in a milder heat of 0.5° ; all flower-spikes to 

 be cut off, and twice a-week liquid manure given the plants so as 

 to make them throw out tine liealthy foliage. By the end of 

 September they will require a fourteen-iuch pot, and by the 

 beginning of .January they wiU have become fine specimens ; 

 then allow them to bloom. 



I'lants treated iu this manner will throw up from eight to 

 twelve fine spikes 2J feet in height, and when tied out well 

 make a brilliaut show in the conservatory, the colour being 

 sucli a very beautiful blue. I have seen them iu full bloom for 

 ten moutlis, but that is too long for them to stay iu the con- 

 servatory, as a change in colour is re(pxired. 



The only insect which troubles them is the brown scale, and 

 that but very little.— W. B. 



WORK FOR THE "WEEK. 



KITCHEN GAKDEN. 



The weather still continues favourable for the growth of the 

 autumn crops, the whole of which, when necessary, should 

 now be kept well earthed-up. Young weeds will now be making 

 their appearance in abundance where seeds have been allowed 

 to ripen and fall during the summer. The whole of the garden, 

 where it is possible to do so, should be gone over and scufHed 

 with a Dutch hoe, and the young seedlings left to be withered 

 up by the scorching rays of the sun. Cahhagr, prepare ground 

 for the main spring crop. It should be highly enriched with 

 manure. A quarter on which Onions have been grown is very 

 suitable for this purpose. CauUjhm-ers, prick out the young 

 plants as soon as they are sufficiently large to fix properly in 

 the soil. Some may be pricked into a sheltered border and 

 some into frames. Cucumbers, the plants in the forcing-houses 

 must now be carefully attended to, every means must be used 

 to keep them' free from insects and in a healthy vigorous state. 

 When tlie plants are firmly rooted give a little manure water 

 every alternate time with clear water. Lettuce, prick out some 

 of tiie Cabbage varieties into a frame to come iu for winter 

 use ; also, continue to plant out strong plants of the Brown 

 Cos for autumn use. Onions, pull up those that have done 

 growing, and house them in a di-y state. They should be sorted 

 before being laid away iu the root-cellar, and the thick-necked 

 ones used first. The Onions, Gherkins, Chilies, and other 

 vegetables used for pickling should be gathered for the purpose 

 as they come in. Potatoes, when ripe, should be taken up as 

 opportunity serves. Although attacked with the disease, and 

 indications of an almost total failure were apparent during the 

 very showery weather we had last month, now that we are fa- 

 voured with fine, bi'ight, sunny weather, it is to be hoped that 

 the crop will be better than was anticipated. Spinticli, thin the 

 plants to about 9 inches apart ; if obliged to step in amongst 

 them, loosen-up the soil after the thinning is completed. 

 Turnips, take the opportunity of thinning them as soon as they 

 liave made a rough leaf or two. Should slugs attack them, 

 which is not uufrequeutly the case at this season, sprinkle soot 

 or lime two or three times a-week about nine in the morning. 



FRUIT GAKDEN. 



Fruit-gathering should be proceeded with as the different 

 sorts arrive at due maturity. Avoid the error of clearing a 

 tree at once without reference to the ripeness of the crop. Un- 

 cover Currants, if matted, occasionally dm-ing fine days. Trim 

 and dress Strawbeny plantations, aud be careful to injure the 

 leaves of the plants as little as possible, avoid deep digging 



between the rows, which injures the roots; besides, the Straw- 

 berry rather prefers a somewhat firm soil. Kspaliers and dwarf 

 standards, or, indeed, any kind of fruit trees whicli exhibit 

 more tendency to produce useless wood than such as is likely 

 to furnish fruit, should bo root-pruned as early as convenient 

 in tlio autumn, cutting out any useless slioots at the same time, 

 in order to expose tho wood expected to liear fruit as freely 

 as possible to light and air, so as to have it well ripened. 



KLOWEU GMIDEN. 



Cut off tho flower-stems of herbaceous plants as soon as 

 they become shabby, and endeavour to prolong tho beauty of 

 Phloxes, itc, by keeping them well supplied with water at the 

 root. Hollyhocks and Dahlias will still require occasional look- 

 ing after to secure them against the effects of high winds which 

 may now be expected. Let the borders be cleaned and neatly 

 raked over, filling up any vacant places with Chrysanthemums, 

 spring-struck Pansios, or spring-Uowering bulbs. Mignonette 

 for winter and spring flowering may yet be sown. 



OIlEENnOUSE AND CONSERVATORY. 



When valuable stove plants have to be kept in the conserva- 

 tory while in bloom, they will require careful management to 

 prevent their being injured by damp ; and they must not be 

 over-watered at the roots, as stove plants are soon injured in a 

 low temperature if kept too wet. Give air freely on bright 

 days, but if the house contains many stove plants it will be ad- 

 visable to shut up rather early iu the afternoon to retain a little 

 wanuth for the night, liemove Azaleas which have set their 

 bloom to the greenhouse, but the later kinds must remain in 

 heat until the growth is matured and the bloom set. Keep 

 New Holland plants, which have been placed under glass, cool 

 and airy, and avoid crowding, especially in the case of plants, 

 which are in a growing state ; but evei-jthing must be allowed 

 sufficient space, so that the foliage may be fairly exposed to 

 light and air. Look sharply after mildew on Heaths, as this 

 pest is sometimes very troublesome upon plants that have been 

 growing freely in shady situations in the open air, and are in 

 a rather soft state when taken iu-doors, and apply sulphur 

 freely on the first appearance of the enemy. The Persian and 

 other Cyclamens should be examined and repotted where ne- 

 cessary." Admit air day and night to all descriptions of green- 

 house plants. In many sjiecies the growth is not yet perfected, 

 and an abundance of air is the only means that remains to 

 bring about that result. This may be assisted on sunny days 

 by early closing for a couple of hours in the afternoon, but 

 open tlie houses at six again to get the cool night temperature. 



STOVE. 



Stove and greenhouse plants of an herbaceous character, 

 after they have done blooming, should have some care to 

 ripen the roots properly before they are stowed away for the 

 winter. To effect this with Achim'enes, Gesneras, Gloxinias, 

 &c., they should be placed in a spare house or pit near the 

 glass, and sujiplied with water only to keep them from flagging. 

 This will allow the foliage to ripen gradually, and, as a matter 

 of course, the tubers or roots. Amaryllis and the different 

 varieties of Japan Lilies require the same treatment; the 

 latter, however, being more hardy, may be ripened off at the 

 base of a south wall or in a cold pit. Bmgmansias, Cleroden- 

 (h-ons, Erythrinas, Allamandas, and plants of similar habit, 

 may be gradually induced to enter into a state of rest in any 

 house of medium temperature with an atmosphere drier than a 

 common stove. 



PITS AND FRAMES. 



One of the first matters claiming attention at the present 

 time is that of potting bulbs, as much of the success in securing 

 early flowering depends upon early forcing. Respecting the 

 kinds, the common and cheap single varieties are the best. 

 Pinks and Violets must also be looked to, the latter, bothfor 

 potting and blooming, planted out iu a frame or pit. It is a 

 good time to set about the construction of store-pits. If proper 

 accommodation is not already possessed, they should be exca- 

 vated to the depth of 18 inches, and drained so that no water can 

 enter ; a few layers of turf and a framework of wood to receive 

 the mats, lights, or whatever may be provided, will complete 

 the necessary preparations. Let Scarlet and other Geraniums 

 struck in the open ground be taken up and potted immediately 

 they have made roots. They will require a close frame for a 

 week or two, when they should be placed on a di-y bottom in a 

 southern exposm-e, to harden them for the winter. For the 

 same purpose Verbenas, Petunias, &c., struck in pans and in- 

 tended to be kept in them through the winter, should be placed 

 in a similar situation, at the same time stopping the points of 



